Improvement in retorts for distilling coal-oil



N. B. HATCH.

Oil Still.

Patented Feb. i, 1859.

No. 22,79&

Baret* rrron IMPROVEMENT IN RETORTS FOR DlSTlLLlNG COAL-OIL.

Specification forning part of Letters Patent NO. 22.79& dated February 1, 1859.

To aZZ whom it may concern:`

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL B. HATCH, ofthe borough of Lawrenceville, in the county of Allegheny, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved form and mode of constructing retorts for the manufacture of oil, gas, and other products from coal and other materials, and of applying within and about the same certain machinery and apparatus which enables 'me to charge and discharge said retorts continuously and without opening of the same, also without interfering with the continuous production of the oil, gas, &c., sought to be produced and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the Construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the aunexcd drawingsmaking a part of this specification, in which- Figure No. 1 is aground or top View of the bottom of the retort with the crown or covering part removed. Fig. N o. 2 is atransverse View showing the crown or top of the retort placed on said bottom or floor, also the connected arrangement of the retort with the machinery connected within and used in operating thereof.

In Fig. No. 1 the periphery or circle O O O O O shows the face or floor of the retort with the top removed.

A A A A show openings in the bottom, near or at the dges, for discharging the coke or exhausted material.

B B shows the arm or sweep-ba' as it rcsts on the bottom or floor of the retort.

C is the center in the sWeep-bar B B, in which a sha-ft (as E Ein Fig. No. 2)isiuserted, giving the motion to the barB B in the dire& tion ot' the arrows m n.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDshowthe plates attached in a vertical or nearly vertical position with the line of the sweep or arin B B. These plates are arranged as if in form of the letter V, having the side next the center O nearly or at a right angle with the line of the sweep, and the side neXt the outside or verge of the bottom of the retort being set at such angle as to push the coal or other material used to such verge as the sweep revolves. (Thev shape is used only to explain. A plate is quite sufficient.)

Fig. No. 2 shows a transverse and interior view of the whole retort and interior machincry.

O O 0 O is the arch or crown or top part of the retort. G is a hopper, through which coal, Sto., is admitted by the tube H to the bottom of retort at or near the center. (This tube may be duplicated or branched at the bottom.)

K K is a cover arranged to shut in trench ot' water on the hopper G, if required, (as a seal from air.)

I l is a sleeve or tube joined and extending from the topof the retort nearly to the bottom. and through which the shaft E E revolves and turns the sweep B B.

B B is the arm or sweep-bar as 'connected with the shaft E E, and moved thereby in direction of the arrows m m.

r DDDDDDDDDDD DDDare the i plates attached to the bar B B on the under side in the position as before described, (in No. l.) These to be at suitable angles.

A A A A are two of the openings in the bottom of the retort, (referred to in No. 1,) and variable at pleasure. 4

F F are openings used at pleasure for acoess to the interior of the retort.

L is an opening by which the vapor, oil, or gas passes, are drawn, or escape to the condeusing and purifying apparatus.

I operate the retort thus: The coal having been broken to suitable size, and the retort heated up by any convenient furnace beneath it, the sweep-bar (which may be used in a contiuuous length or in joints) is made to revolve by power applied to the shaft E E. The hopper being supplied with the coal, which it deposits through the tube Hnearly at the center of the retort-bottom, from which the sweeparn removes it by continuously pressing it forward and outward to the openings A A A A, and through them discharges the coke or spent material into air-tight receivers or beneath the surface of water. The generated oil, gas, 830., passes or is drawn off through the opening at L by pipes to the condensing and purifying apparatus. In this Iuse, if convenient, an eXhaust-punp, as the coal gives up its oil at a lower heat by so doing.

This retort I gcnerally construct in the shape and proportion shown in the drawings, the materials being wholly of iron, except where economy would require the] use in part of fire clay, brick, or tiles, (all of which can be used in part with ir0n,) and when the sides are formed of brick a coue form is adoptcd, instead of the areh, and the top closed With an iron cap. The bottom of the retort may be slightly dished or crowned; butaplain surface is most desirable, and where greater heat than is required in dstlling oil is required I protect the shaft, arm, and plates by air-cells coununicatiug with the air through the shaft E E.

What I claim as my iuvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The application and use iu retorts used in distillation of coal or other substances from which oil or gas is produceable of asWeep-bar or arm with plates attached substantially as above described, and operated so as to push or spread the material placed within over the floor or bottom, and atiutervals discharge the same continuously in opeuings at or near the edge of the retort, substantially as set forth in the foregong speeificatou and drawings.

NATHANIEL' B. HATCH.

W'ituesses:

FRANCIS TORRANCE, H. A. WEAVER. 

